camo31_10.50

so i was just driving along down a backroad...hit some wash boards...got a pretty good thump with every rotation of something small, whenever i noticed it was every rotation of something small i got out and checked my driveshafts first to see if a U-joint was bad..and it wasn't....unfortunately.

so i limped it back home about 3 miles, and the closer i got home, the better it got lol..when i pulled into my driveway it was barely noticeable..that's when it came to my mind that it's probably my rear wheel bearings?


it's definitely in the rear, i put the rear up on jack stands and started checking to see which side it is.

i have play in the passenger side rear, but it has a quiet howl when i spin the passenger side rear..but i have no movement at all in the passenger side.


Does anyone know of a good write-up on how to do this? i'm about to delete my FSM because it sucks.....

i also searched around on here and found a lot of stuff for 3rd gen 4runners, but didn't know if everything is the same.

olharleyman

just remove the tire/wheel , then the brake assembly & backing plate ,pull the axle then you have access to the bearing

MudHippy

Oh no, it's QUITE a bit more complicated than that. It can be a nightmare, especially the first time you try it. Those suckers DO NOT like coming off the axle shaft. And you can't get the brake assembly, or rather the backing plate, off without removing the bearing first. Just getting the drums off can be a hassle and a half, if they haven't been off in awhile. They like to rust themselves solidly to the axleshafts.

Here's the write-up.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...wheel_bearing/

camo31_10.50

i know how to get to it...i just needed some methods to get it off BESIDES using a press...because that's somethin i don't have

Thanks MudHippy, that helps ALOT should be able to get this done tomorrow as long as i can get the bearing.



would it be a good idea to replace the driverside bearing too?????





if i do one side
i'll need..
both the inner and outer axle seal and the bearing.

both sides, two of everything. lol

se7enine

iTrader: (2)

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...wheel_bearing/

camo31_10.50

you did an AMAZING job of posting the same link that Mudhippy posted 7 hours before you....

se7enine

iTrader: (2)

Oh snap, that's what happens when you skim through multiple threads. Sorry

camo31_10.50

hahahaha it's cool! just thought i'd inform you lol

Lextech

I'm not fond of the slamming the axle on the concrete... Yikes... If I didn't have access to a press, I'd take out the axle or axles and take it to the dealership. I personally wouldn't charge more than an hour to press out and press in the new bearing, retainer, and seal. Having it done right versus monkey business is definetly worth an hour labor rate.

camo31_10.50

wellllll, when you're a broke college student..you gotta do what you gotta do.

freakin labor rate at the dealership is probably $150 an hour.......

if i was still in highschool then i would take the axles to the shop and do them myself...butttttt since i can't..i'll figure something out

Lextech

That's understandable. I too was a broke college student while going to Toyota school... At Lexus in Salt Lake, we are at $90 an hour, so that $150 does sound excessive. Of course the techs don't see much of that labor rate... Make friends with a tech and get it done on the side! Monkey handling the axle and bearing might work for taking it apart, but putting it back together is a different story.

barrel roll

You guys sure love stealerships... I'd put money on a local shop doing it for nothing more than $40 both sides.

camo31_10.50

well we have about 10" of now and like 2" of ice....so all of the local shops are closed :/

barrel roll

So bang that sucker against the concrete to get it off, then use a fence post or something similar in size to hammer the new one on. Anything can be done cheaper than a stealership.

MudHippy

Yeah, I guess that's the way it should be done. But I've only done it like that once(or twice, as in both sides, one time). I've replaced both sides atleast three times that I can remember. Just usually one at a time, mainly because they ain't cheap. And because it's a PITA. Never gets any easier either, still don't have a press for it so...as a matter of fact I've got another one that needs changed at the moment. But it ain't too bad yet. Still not lookin' forward to it.

I've done the hold the backing plate and pound 'em off way every time so far. A couple times without cutting the retainer off first(too scared I'd nick the axlesaft in the process). Then I got brave and cut the retainers off with the angle grinder the rest of the times. Cutting the retainers off, as well as being a little risky, only makes it a little easier to get the bearings off. They still put up quite a fuss, and take some pounding anyways. I'm telling ya, a press is the way to go for sure. But who has one right? I also did put a small nick in one of my axleshafts with that method, but I've got a couple spares if it ever snaps. No biggie.

I've always used my chopping block as a surface to pound on(I don't like the concrete idea either). What's that you say? It's the end of a log about 2' long and 2' in diameter. You put smaller chunks of wood on top of it, then use a splitting maul to make firewood out of 'em. That way you aren't burying your maul in the dirt everytime. Which is pretty handy, and also pretty handy if you need something to pound your axleshafts on to get the bearings off. I know...I'm some kind of backwoods hick for doin' it like that, but it get's the job done!

Lextech

I fix hack jobs daily, so keep on keepin on! I'd say 60% of the repairs I do are fixing a local shops eff ups or someone elses. It might be more money, but you have the reassurance that it'll be done right the first time... and we definetly aren't throwing axles around like monkeys. It's debatable whether or not the bearing/axle would be worse off before or after the primate repair...

Lextech

I trust you know what you are doing MudHippy and have experience doing it. I'd have to say it's one of my least favorite jobs to do. I do have the touch to cutting the retainers off, especially if they have ABS, but I understand the sketchiness of it!

camo31_10.50

wtf there mister "lextech".......


if i take it to a shop, these are SMALL TOWN shops, and are filled with GOOD people that i personally know. and they actually do great work. and all they would do is take the axle from my hands, put it on their press...do the work..then hand it back.


i don't know where you came up with the idea of throwing Axles around like monkey's, idk where the monkey's came into play? if there are monkey's in the shop then you have a pest problem

Lextech

It was in reference to slamming the axle on the concrete. As far as the local shops, I'm sure smaller towns have better quality mechanics. Here they are Jiffy Lube rejects... I'm not intentionally harping on them purely based on the fact that I work at a dealership. It's more of I see how many customers get screwed over and feel bad for them. I've seen a lot... I've seen oil pans being "resealed" by local shops and guess what they did? They spackled on the FIPG around the oil pan, almost like caulking... haha Electrical repairs that the wires were just twisted together... rotors machined so horribly that you could throw them on a record player and make a tune... so on and so forth. We are actually told to not mention bad repairs to customers unless they directly complain about them, so there isn't any bad blood. If we told them of all of the botched jobs, they wouldn't go back to the local shops. I'm just trying to offer some helpful advice so ten miles down the road, your axle seals aren't dumping into your drum, and have to do it all over again.

MudHippy

Well, like the write-up says, cutting part way though and then cold chiselling the retainers off used to be a recommended method. It ain't like we're making this stuff up off the top of our heads you know?


A better way would be to use a bearing seperator on it. Which would make getting ABS signal rotor off easier too.


I still need to buy me one of them. Won't work on the bearing anyway. Still need a press or a good surface to pound on for that.

This dude didn't even use a piece of wood. And you think I'm crazy?

http://128.83.80.200/taco/rwb.html